Working element of a knitting machine provided with at least one butt

ABSTRACT

A working element of a knitting machine such as a needle, an auxiliary needle, or a closing sinker, provided on its shaft with at least one butt cooperating with the cam effecting the movement of the working elements in the bed, in which the butt is joined with the shaft by means of an elastic beam which lessens the severity of the impacts between the butt and the cam.

O llmted States Patent 1 1 1111 3,748,875 8101 et a1. July 31, 1973 WORKING ELEMENT OF A KNITTING 664,808 12/1900 Dodge 66/123 CH PROVIDED I H AT LEAST 2,024,911 12/1935 Crawford 66/124 2,219,600 10/1940 Potter 66/124 ONE BUTT 2,592,787 4/1952 Blicke 66/124 [75] Inventors: Alois Slof; Vladimir Smejkal, both of ,5 5 l/1953 Stpierren t 2 Brno Czechgslovakia 3,220,221 Sheeler 66/121 1 Assignee: y y ustav p y, Brno, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS czechslvakla 1,145,150 3/1969 Great Britain 66/123 [22] Filed: May 19, 1971 2 A 144 03 Primary ExaminerRonald Feldbaum Attorney-Arthur O. Klein [30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 20, 1970 Czechoslovakia 3492 70 7] ABSTRACT May 22, 1970 Czech0slovak1a 3570 70 A working element ofa knitting machine such as a nee [52] U 8 Cl 66 I123 dle, an auxiliary needle, or a closing sinker, provided 51 tit.61.111111111111111:11111111111111:1:11:111352i 35/02 on it thtttt with at ttttt tttt tttpttttttt with tht h U cam effecting the movement of the working elements [58] m in the bed, in which the butt is joined with the shaft by [56] References Cited means of an elastic beam which lessens the severity of UNITED STATES PATENTS the impacts between the butt and the cam.

363,153 5/1887 Malpass 66/123 9 Claims, 23 Drawing Figures PATENIEUJUL a 1 I973 SHEET 1 [1F 3 INVENJ g: A1015 5L HEJKAL BY: VIBdIWHI'GS ma ATTORNEY WORKING ELEMENT OF A KNITTING MACHINE PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE BUTT This invention relates to a working element of a knitting machine, for instance a needle, an auxiliary needle, or a closing sinker, provided on its shaft with at least one butt cooperating with the cam which causes the movement of the working elements in the needle bed. The said working element is suitable especially for high-speed knitting machines.

The butt of working elements of a well-known embodiment on a knitting machine is of the same width as the shaft, the thickness of the shaft being the same along its full length and height.

The main disadvantage of this embodiment is an excessively stiff and inelastic joint between the butt and the shaft. The initial engagement between the cam and the butt causes impacts due to the stiff joint between the butt and the shaft, which impacts are transferred to the whole working element. The working element is displaced in the groove of the needle bed, which causes its wearing off on the edge of the groove on a small surface at the butt or close to it under a high specific pressure, and so considerably increases the intensity of the impact wave. The impacts unfavorably affect the needle operation on high-speed knitting machines, where the impact wave may reach a critical frequency, which can cause brakage of the needle at its weakest point, i.e., the hook portion, which is the most important functional needle part. The knitting is also unfavorably affected by the jumping of the needle form the cam caused by such impacts; the consequence of jumping of the needle are irregularities in the knitted fabric.

The aforementioned disadvantages are eliminated by the working element according to the present invention, in which the working element comprises a shaft and at least one butt on the shaft, the butt being joined to the shaft by an elastic beam adapted substantially to absorb the impact wave caused by the impact of the cam on the butt. With such construction a wave of a considerably less intensity is transmitted to the other parts of the working element, the action of such wave of reduced intensity not substantially influencing the knitting operation.

The elastic beam in accordance with the invention may consist either of the upper part only of the shaft adjacent the butt, or it may also consist of the lower part of the butt, the thickness of said parts being reduced by a recess at least at one side of the working element. An advantage of an embodiment in which the recess extends up to the lower part of the butt is that when the shaft is displaced in the groove of the needle bed, the needle abuts the wall of the groove by its shaft and not with its butt, the butt not coming into contact with the edge of the groove. The area of the surface of the working element pushed against the needle bed due to the elasticity of the modified shaft is enlarged and is spaced from the butt, thus causing a decrease of the specific pressure as well as of the intensity of the impact wave. This reduces the wearing-off of the working element and the elimination of butt abrasion.

In another preferred embodiment, the elastic beam is built up by the upper part of the shaft adjacent the butt, below which part the shaft is provided with at least one hole. In this embodiment, the beam is of the same thickness as the other parts of the butt and of the shaft, the beam obtaining its elasticity by being separated int from the lower part of the shaft by means of a hole or holes.

All the said embodiments of the elastic beam have I the advantage that neither the recess nor the holes engage the functional surfaces of the butt designed for cooperation with the cams.

If the thickness of the elastic beam is reduced by providing a recess therein, the recess is longer than the butt. The lower edge of the recess can be straight-lined and parallel with the edge of the shaft. According to other preferred embodiments, the lower edge of the recess can be arcuate, the arc may merge with a tangentialIine, or the lower edge may be V-shaped. The upper edge of the recess can be straight-lined, but when the recess is provided only in the shaft, this straight-lined edge is aligned with the upper edge of the shaft. According to still other preferred embodiments, the upper edge of the recess which also engages the lower part of the butt can be arcuate or V-shaped. According to the preferred embodiment, the recess in the shaft crosssection is arcuate. The depth of the recess varies within the range of from five to 50 percent of the shaft thickness.

When the elastic beam is constituted by the unrecessed upper part the shaft above its hole or holes, the hole in the shaft is elongated and preferably its length exceeds the length of the butt. The longitudinal axis of the hole can be straight-lined, as for instance parallel with the shaft edge, or it can have a broken-line configuration, or be V-shaped. In the latter case the hole extremities point towards the upper edge of the shaft. The straight-lined axes of the two holes can also converge in a V-configuration the apex of which is situated below the butt while the legs point to the upper edge of the shaft. The longitudinal hole can also be arcuate, its extremities pointing toward the upper edge of the shaft.

In other embodiments, the upper part of the shaft adjacent the butt, below which part the shaft is provided with at least one hole, or also the lower part of the butt, have their thicknesses reduced by a recess provided at least on one side of the working element, whereby its elasticity is increased.

The subject matter of this invention will be apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein some preferred embodiments of said working element according to the invention are illustrated:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a first exemplary embodiment of the working element in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a view in section along line III-III in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a view in section along line IV-IV in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a detail of the working element of a second exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the structure of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a section along line VII-VII in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a section along line VIII--VIII in FIG. 5;

FIGS. 9, 10, and 11 are fragmentary views in side elevation of three other exemplary embodiments of the working element;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the detail of another embodiment of the working element, such element being provided on its shaft with a hole;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the structure of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a section along line XIV-XIV in FIG. 12;

FIG. is a section along line XV-XV in FIG. 12;

FIGS. l6, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22 are fragmentary views in side elevations of seven other exemplary embodiments of the working element, each embodiment being provided on its shaft with a hole; and

FIG. 23 is a section along line XXIIIXXI]II in FIG. 22.

As will be apparent from the above, 13 embodiments of working elements in accordance with the invention are illustrated and described herein. Similar parts in the various figures are designated by the same main reference characters, with appropriate postscripts where necessary.

Each of the working elements according to the various illustrated embodiments is provided with a butt 1 on a shaft 2. The elements are adapted to slide in grooves 3 (FIGS. 3, 4, 7, 8, 14, 15) of a needle bed 4 in which they are slidingly displaced by the action of cams 5 (FIGS. 2 and 6) reciprocated in the grooves 3 in the directions of arrows 6, 7.

The butt 1 is joined to the shaft 2 by means of an elastic beam. According to FIGS. 1 to l 1, the elastic beam is built up by the upper part of the shaft 2 adjacent the butt 1 and by the lower part of the butt 1, the thickness of these parts being reduced by a recess 8 provided at least at one side of the shaft 2. The embodiments according to FIGS. 12 to 21 are provided with an elastic beam constituted by the upper part of the shaft 2 adjacent the butt 1 below which the shaft 2 is provided with one or two holes 9.

Turning now specifically to FIGS. 1 to 4, the working element is provided with a recess 8 at the one side of the shaft 2. The length of the recess 8 is greater than that of the butt 1. The lower edge 10 of the recess 8 as well as the upper edge 11 thereof are straight-lined and parallel with the edge of the shaft 2. The depth of the recess 8 amounts to 20 percent of the thickness of the shaft 2.

The embodiment according to FIGS. 5 to 8 differs from the preceding one, the elastic beam being built with a recess 8 at each of the two sides of the working element, both recesses being of arcuate configuration in cross-section. The depth of each recess 8a amounts to 25 percent of the thickness of the shaft 2a.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 9, both the lower edge 10b and the upper edge 11b of the recess 8b are arcuate.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 10, both the lower edge 10c and the upper edge 11c of the recess 80' are V-shaped.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 11, the upper edge 11d of the recess 8d is arcuate, and the arcuate lower edge 10d merges in a tangential line.

In all the above-described embodiments, the elasticity of the joint of the butt 1 and the shaft 2 is obtained by reducing the thickness of the lower part of the butt 1 and of the upper part of the shaft 2 merging therein.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 12 to 15, the shaft 2c is provided below the butt 1e with an elongated hole 9e, the length of which exceeds that of the butt 1e. The longitudinal axis of the hole 9: is straight-lined and parallel with the edge of the shaft 2e.

The embodiments according to FIGS. 16 and 17 are suitable for finer shafts 2f. The shaft is provided with two holes 9f, the portion below the butt 1f exposed to considerable strains not being weakened by the holes 9f. In the embodiment according to FIG. 16, the axes of the holes 9f are parallel with the edge of the shaft 2f.

According to FIG. 17, the straight-lined axes of the holes 9g converge to unfinished or unjoined V-shape, the imaginary apex of which lies below the butt lg while the legs thereof pointing towards the upper edge of the shaft 2g.

According to FIG. 18, the hole 911 is V-shaped, the extremities of the hole 9h pointing towards the upper edge of the shaft 2h.

According to FIG. 19, the hole 91' is arcuate and its extremities point towards the upper edge of the shaft 2i.

According to FIG. 20, the straight-lined axis of the hole 9 is inclined relative to the edges of the shaft 2j.

According to FIG. 21, the hole 9k assumes a broken line configuration, its axes defining an obtuse angle.

In the above-described embodiments according to FIGS. 12 to 21, the elasticity of the joint of the butt I and the shaft 2 is obtained by separating the upper part of the shaft from the lower part by means of a hole or holes 9. This upper part of the shaft 2 above the hole or holes 9 constitutes the elastic beam of the butt 1.

The embodiment according to FIGS. 22 and 23 is a combination of the embodiments according to FIGS. 5 and 20. The elastic beam is built up by the upper part of the shaft 21 above the longitudinal hole 91 and by the lower part of the butt 11 the thickness of these parts being reduced by the recess 81. The axis of the shaft 9! lies askew to the edge of the shaft 21.

When the cam 5 runs on the butt 1, the butt 1, provided on the elastic beam, is displaced in the direction of the force action, whereby the intensity of the impact and the impact wave is reduced. The impact wave is efficiently absorbed by the elastic beam so that it is transferred on the other parts of the working element with a considerably reduced intensity, the action being slight enough to prevent the working element from jumping off from the cam S and from breaking.

In the embodiment in which the thickness of the elastic beam is reduced by the recess 8, the groove 3 of the bed 4 is not engaged, on displacement of the working element therein, by the butt 1 but by the side wall of the shaft 1 beyond the elastic beam. Thus the surface of the working element pushed against the groove 3 is enlarged and spaced apart from the butt I, so that the specific pressure is reduced. Consequently, on the one hand, the intensity of the impact wave, and, on the other hand, the wearing off of the working element decrease, no abrasion of the butt 1 occurring at all.

The advantage of the embodiments according to FIGS. 12 to 21, having an unrecessed elastic beam built up by the upper end of the shaft 2 above the holes 9 resides in that the elastic beam efficiently absorbs both the transverse vibration causing torsional stress, and the longitudinal vibration causing bending stress. The pressure of the cam 5, which acts obliquely on the working element, is resolved in two force components perpendicular to each other, the longitudinal one of which is bending force, while the transverse one is torsional force.

The embodiment according to FIGS. 9, 10, ll, 17, 18, and 19, provided with an elastic beam which is narrowed down in both directions from the butt 1, is advantageous in case of more intensive impacts of the cams if operating on high-speed knitting machines, since the wave propagating in the direction to the narrowed cross-section of the beam is fully absorbed.

The embodiment according to FIGS. and 21 is suitable in case of a unidirectionally acting force, i.e., from the left hand side, as shown. This unidirectionally action of the cam on the butt 1 of the needle occurs in the case only if the cam is provided with a stitch cam only, while the raising of the needles into working position is actuated by a patterning device.

The embodiment according to FIGS. 22 and 23 has the advantages of the embodiment according to FIG. 5, which has a recessed beam, and those of the embodiment according to FIG. 20, having an unrecessed beam built up above the hole 91 in the shaft 21, thus increasing the elasticity of the beam in this embodiment compared to the embodiments hereinbefore referred to.

Although the invention is illustrated and described with reference to a plurality of preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be expressly understood that it is in no way limited to the disclosure of such a plurality of embodiments, but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A working element of a knitting machine having a cam for actuating said working element in the bed of the machine, said element comprising a shaft, and at least one butt on the shaft cooperating with the cam,

the butt being joined to the shaft by means of a thinned elastic beam, the thickness of which is smaller than both the thickness of the shaft below said thinned portion and the thickness of the butt above said thinned portion.

2. A working element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic beam is built up by the upper part of the shaft adjacent the butt, the thickness of the beam being reduced by a recess on at least one side of the shaft.

3. A working element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic beam is built up by the lower part of the butt and the upper part of the shaft adjacent the butt, the thickness of these parts being reduced by a recess on at least one side of the working element.

4. A working element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper edge of the recess is parallel with the upper edge of the shaft.

9. A working element as claimed in claim 2, wherein the depth of the recess varies between five and 50 percent of the thickness of the shaft. 

1. A working element of a knitting machine having a cam for actuating said working element in the bed of the machine, said element comprising a shaft, and at least one butt on the shaft cooperating with the cam, the butt being joined to the shaft by means of a thinned elastic beam, the thickness of which is smaller than both the thickness of the shaft below said thinned portion and the thickness of the butt above said thinned portion.
 2. A working element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic beam is built up by the upper part of the shaft adjacent the butt, the thickness of the beam being reduced by a recess on at least one side of the shaft.
 3. A working element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic beam is built up by the lower part of the butt and the upper part of the shaft adjacent the butt, the thickness of these parts being reduced by a recess on at least one side of the working element.
 4. A working element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length of the recess exceeds the length of the butt.
 5. A working element as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lower edge of the recess is straight-lined.
 6. A working element as claimed in claim 5, wherein the lower edge of the recess is parallel with the edge of the shaft.
 7. A working element as claimed in claim 5, wherein the upper edge of the recess is straight-lined.
 8. A working element as claimed in claim 2, wherein the upper edge of the recess is parallel with the upper edge of the shaft.
 9. A working element as claimed in claim 2, wherein the depth of the recess varies between five and 50 percent of the thickness of the shaft. 